The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-27
We followed the trail until. mile after mile, II
became more and more distinct and gave evil

We followed the trail until mile after mile, It
became more and more distinct and gave evi.
depce that 1t was freshly made.
- Ser about five hours hard riding we entered
VIC |, and had not penetrated far into il until
we were dismounted and had tied our horses to-
trees, for saw signs enough to convince nae
that our Thugs had encamped. Carefully NO
reconoitred, and soon we were gazing from some
scrub growth upon the sleeping forms OF seven
dusky stalwart Thugs. But heavens. what 10
thatl For an instant my blood freezes in my
veins. But there was no time for delay. The
life of the fair prisoner depended upon my un.
erring aim. Bang! whisp and with scream OF
JOY from the captive. an alarmed yell from her
captors. side by side with my faithful follower.
for We were in for it now | leapt into the clear
ing and welded my dubbed rifle. fer had no
time to reload. Everything had taken upon itself
distorted shape, and appeared red in my eyes.
The st black thief that rushed for rne went
down with crushed skull. beside him fell
another from the bullet of my servants riffs.
Down went two more. and felt my side pierced
with singing arrow, while beside me lifeess
dropped my faithful friend-faithful to the last,
In the embrace of death, from the knife of an
adversary. Quicker than 1 considered myself
able to be. my knife was buried to the hilt in his
sayers heart, and then / was felled to the
ground half swooninc. l was covered with hide
thongs which cut into my flesh to the very
bone. and then, side by side, under the same
tree. with my poor countrywoman, Twas tied Sc
| curely. In front of both OF us hung the glisten-
ing and lifeless body of the monster boa con-
strictor, his eyes capable of no longer charming
my fair companion in misery, for where they
were was now hole, cut through with my bullet;
for it was his fatal folds saw. and his waving
head, and his darting tongue. charming the DOOR
captive. until he would have had her yielding
form as his prey. and it for that fred, and
thus precptated the onslaught
'For a long time the two savage Thugs sat
glooiniiy glarng at the slain bodies Of their
comrades, anon gazing at me with fendish leers
md fsnn tJnD ma Wit plo 8 at
the sun went down l. too would die so that,
for having killed their captain, should leave the
| world in darkness and would be drawn apart
one half to the east and the other to the west-by
| their sacred horses with the feet of two, aud
| that the pale woman would also bedrawn apart br
the sacred horses with the feet Of two; who were
the first horses, and had been ridden by the god
| 'Beeshua Bha,' who owns, controls and sends the
winds, and who had impaired the feetuess Of
| the wind to the horses with the feet of two.
| This cackling was kept up for the greater part
| of the day. In the meantime was trying to
arouse some hope in the wretched girl beside ms.
II ascertained that she was the daughter
| Of a New England merchant who had left
| his native State in ordor to make fort
| une in New Zealand; that he had been very sue
cessful, so much so that he tempted the greed
| and cupidity OF the Thugs, and was murdered, in
company with his wife, the night before. A
| rich booty in money and Jewels even then was
| among the traps of the dead captain, and the or
| phan by my side was about to meet q terrible
! nterfered in our behalf. have faced death in
| a thousand shapes, but never knew what fear
| was until that day" Every time looked at
| the young prisoner by my side. felt my blood
| run cold, more on her account, can assure you,
| than my own
The day ended, and like the last beams Of
| hope, / saw the last rays OF the setting sun do
| out among the heightened shadows of the gloomy
forest. and l felt that our last hour had come.
| True to their word, as the waning twilight
| faded into darkness, my tormentors unbound
| me from the tree, still keeping my hands se-
| cursly tied behind my back, and my feet secure
ly tied also, and having cast me PROSTATE in tho
center of the open space went out into the forest
| and set about getting the horses of which they
| had spoken. The Thugs soon returned, leading
two horses, the most graceful and symmetrical
| animals l had ever seen in my life; and yet
| strange to saw each of them had eight legs and
feet instead Of four. They were covered with
black pals, and black, long. waving plume
was attached to the head OF each
Long ropes of immaculate whiteness
| trailed from an arrangement somewhat like
singletree and terminated in running noose
1t was not until that moment that my situation
fully appeared to me. l WAS instantly picked
| up by my captors, each of whom slipped a moose
over me; one from my feet up. the other from
my head down, both meeting about my waist
The horses were then to be driven with whips.
one going toward the east the other toward the
| west, aud was actually to be drawn asunder,
and when / was disposed Of my fair companion
|
! .aunts and jeers my captors fitted mo securely
in the horrible sling and then each took his place
whip in hand, and, with sound something like
'booshna booshna.' started their horses for.
ward When bang! bang! rang out the reports
Of two rifles. and ere the thugs who had received
the bullets had reached the ground in their last
fall Ed O'Connor had one horse by the rude hal
ter and Joe Cloud the other minute later
and l was free, was also the young lady.
We found cave short distance in the
woods from the opening, and in it the money
jewels and papers of Miss Georgia Beiler, fol
such was the young lady's name. / also found
young colt. like the others octopedal, and q
curiously illuminated parchment, which 10 nos
in the British Museum. and which some learned
professors have since ascertained is history oil
the prehistoric horses which, according to tn,
traditions of these superstitious people, were
ridden by Beeshna Bha, the god Of the wind
But, whether tradition is right or wrong.
shipped the horses to Mr. Doris. TO New York
and Mr.. Doris now has them. Had my poo
servant. who was slain. faithfully followed my
instructions, and told no one that he was Of
with me. would not be alive. The fresh trails
OF the horsemen found by O'Connor started ouI
I FL l. -. .ho~xn